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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffSudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby. For parents, it's a devastating and shocking childhood illness — there's no warning and there's no definitive cause.
Most SIDS deaths occur in children between 2 months and 4 months of age. Sudden infant death syndrome rarely occurs before 1 month of age or after 6 months.
Researchers have discovered some factors that may put babies at risk for sudden infant death syndrome. They've also identified some measures you can take to help protect your child from sudden infant death syndrome. Perhaps the most important is placing your baby on his or her back to sleep.
- What is SIDS? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.www.sidscenter.org/documents/SIDRC/WhatIsSIDS.pdf. Accessed April 30, 2009.
- Moon R, et. al. Sudden infant death syndrome. Lancet. 2007:370:1578.
- Vennemann M, et al. Does breastfeeding reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome? Pediatrics 2009:123:e406.
- Baruteau A, et al. Role of congenital long-QT syndrome in unexplained sudden infant death: Proposal for an electrocardiographic screening in relatives. European Journal of Pediatrics. In press. Accessed May 6, 2009.
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). American Lung Association. http://www.lungusa.org/atf/cf/%7B7a8d42c2-fcca-4604-8ade-7f5d5e762256%7D/ALA_LDD08_SIDS_FINAL.PDF. Accessed April 30, 2009.
- Sudden infant death syndrome fact sheet (SIDS). American Lung Association. http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060727&content_id={DD8EAC73-1371-4129-9D82-0220D296D5E9}¬oc=1. Accessed May 7, 2009.
- Task force on sudden infant death syndrome. Policy statement: The changing concept of SIDS. Pediatrics. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/116/5/1245. Accessed April 30, 2009.
- Bacon C. Recurrence of sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatrics. 2008:122;869.
- Blair P, et al. Head covering - a major modifiable risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome: A systematic review. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2008;93:778.
